Steam-supply device for electric irons



sept. 4, 192s. 1,683,145

tw. H. sLoNAKER l STEAM SUPPLY DEVICE FQR ELECTRIC 'IRNS Filed NOV. 29, 1926 g55.. (3 Inventor ,Wzzm 26( Jinx/diez @4m wh itorngy Patented Sept. 4, 192,8.

UNITED STATES VWILIIAI HERBERT SLONAKEBM OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

amm-SUPPLY nnvrcn ron ELECTRIC IaoNs.

Application mea Novenber as, 192e. semi No. 151,473.

This invention relates to new and. useful improvements in steam supply device for electric ironsand has for its primary ob]eot to provide a device of this character wherein the casing of the iron is constructed with a water compartment in order that steam may be generated during the use of the iron,

means being rovided-toconvey the steam from a steam ome to the face of the iron 1n order that the clothes may be properly moistened, and this during the ironing operation for obviously overcoming the requirement of sprinkling the clothes prior to the ironlng operation.

A further and most important ob]ect resides in the provision of means directly beneath the handle of the iron whereby the valve for the steam between the said dome and face of the iron may be readily opened whenever it is required to dampen the clothes.

A still further object is to provide means associated with said irst mentioned means to permit excess steam ressure to blow olf, and this without requiring the attention of the operator.

An additional object is to provide an elec.

tric iron of this character that is extremely simple-of construction, inexpensive of manufacture, and well adapted-for all the purposes intended.

With the foregoing and other objects in view as will become apparent asl the nature of t mention is better understood. .the same comprising the novel form, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

'In the drawing wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts 4o throughout the several views: y

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of an electriciron lconstructed in accordance with` the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view of the' face of the iron',

and

Figure 3 is an enlarged bined manually controlled and automatically operable steam cut 0E and blow 0E valve.

Now having particular reference to the drawing my novel iron consists .of a sheet metal casing 5 similar in shape to the casings of electric irons now universally in use and having within the bottom side thereof an ironing plate 6 upon the top side of which 1s es the usual heating coil 7 electrically connected ing surface ofthe plate Gand having comsection ofthe comatits rear end to the usual cable attaching plug 8 of conventional design.

Formed within the casing 5' isa horizontal water compartment 9, the top wall of which is formed adjacent its rear end with a fillerneck 10, normally closed by readily removable plug 11. Directly in front of this filler neck 10 the top wallof' the water compartment is formed or provided with a dome 12 into which generated steam may pass by .reason of one or more` openings within the top wall of the water compartment beneath said dome 12, see Figure 1.

Leading from the steam dome 12 is a steam inlet pipe l13 that communicates with a valve 14 in communication with which is also one endI of a steam conducting pipe 15 that is extended downwardly with respect to the nose ofthe iron and that has contact with the nose as clearly disclosed inv Figure 1, said nose being preferably formed with a de'l pression for receiving this pipe so that the forward end thereof. will be flush with the plpe. The lower end of the pipe extends inwardly and is arrangedv wtihin a socket 16 in the nose of the ironing face 6 extending.r longitudinally from which are a plurality of radiating steam passage bores 17, preferably three in number. Formed within the ironmunication withsaid steam passage bores 17 are steam outlet openings 18, the lower ends of which are greatly enlarged so that the steam passing therethrough will expand to a certain extent so that the pressure of the steam passing onto the `clothes will not be unusually great. Y The'valve 14 heretofore mentioned consists of a casing 19 having a central cylindrical portion 20 within which is slidably arranged a hollow cylindrical core or body 21 formed Aat opposed points with-steam inlet and exhaust openings 22 and23, respectively, the inlet 22 being considerably longer than the exhaust 23, while said inlet' is at all timeslo open to the intake'passage 24k of the valve in communication Vwith which is the previously mentioned intake nozzle 13 arranged within thesteam dome 12. On the other hand, the outlet opening 23 of said core or body is nor-v 1" mally closed with respect to the outlet opening of the valve in communication with which is-the steam conducting pipe 15. To prevent the rotation of the core or body within the cylindrical portion of the valve casing,

the upper end of said core or body is provided with a square shaped stem 25 vertically movable within a. squared opening in the upper end of said cas-ing, while positioned upon the extreme upper end of the stem is a dome like hollow thumb knob 26 provided for fa-4 cilitating the downward movement of the core or body within the casing under pressure of the thumb of the user of the arm. Arranged beneath said member 26 and surrounding said stem 25 is a conical expansible spring 27 for normally forcing upwardly upon the knob for consequently maintaining the core or body 21 in closed position as indicated in Figure 3. Obviously, the downward movement of the core or body will move the outlet opening 23 of the-core or body into communication with the discharge nozzle of the valve in an obvious manner.

The lower end of the core or body 21 is formed with a tapered opening 28 within which is arranged a disc'valve 29 arran ed upon the lower end of a valve pin 30 t at extends upwardly through'the core or body and throu h a longitudinal bore in the core stem'25. .'Ihe upper end of this pin projects through the upper end of the stem and has arranged thereon a nut 31. Surrounding the pin between the nut and the bottom of the thumb nut 26 is an expansible coil spring 32 for normally maintaining the valve 29 in closed position within' the seat 28. However, insomuch as the steam from the dome 12 has communication at all times with the interior of the core or bod 21 the valve 29 will be automatically opene under predetermined steam pressures so as to permit the steam to escape when the pressure becomes too eat. Y

Secured to the top wall of the iron casing 5 is a suitable horizontal handle 33 directly beneath or to one side of the forward end of which is arranged the valvexll so that as above stated, the thumb of the operator may conveniently engage the thumb knob 26 to facilitate the opening of the valve so that the steam may exhaust through the openings in the radiating bores 17 when it is desired to moisten the clothes.

vIt will thusbe seen that I have provided a highly novel, simple, and eicient electric iron that islwell adapted for all the purposes heretofore designated, even though I have herein shown and described the invention as.

consisting of certain detail structural elements, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without effecting the spirit and scope of the ap nded claims.

aving thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a steam suppl control valve, a casing provided with 'ametrically oplposed steam inlet and outlet openings, a ollow body vertically slidable within the casing, said hollow body being provided 4with diametrically opposed inlet and outlet openings, the inlet openin in the body `being at all times in communication with the inlet opening of the casing, the outlet openings being normally out of registry with each other, a stem extending u wardly from the hollow body and freely s idable through the top of the casing, a handle on the upper end theredownwardl in the casing for bringing the municaton with the voutlet openin of the casing, whereby the steam may e emitted through the outlet openin in thecasin'g, and resilient means for norma ly maintaining the hollow body in a raised position to revent the discharge of the steam through t e outlet opening 1n the casing. l

2'.. In a steam supply control valve, a casingprovided with diametrically o posed ltem inlet and outlet openings, a ollow o sai hollow body being provided with diametrically opposed inlet and outlet openings the inlet openin in the' body being at all times in communication with the inlet opening of the casing, the outlet openings being normally out of registry with each other, a stem extending upwardly from the hollow body and freely slidable through the top of the casing, a handle on the upper end thereofv for manually moving the hollow body downwardly in the casing for bringing the outlet opening in the hollow body into communication with the outlet opening in the casing, whereby the steam ma be emitted through the outlet opening in t e casing, resilient means for normally maintaining the hollow body in a raised position to preventthe discharge of the steam through the outlet `of for manually moving the hollowj body outlet opening in the hollow body into comy vertically slidable within the casing,

openin in-the c asin and means for automatica ly releasing t e steam from within the hollow' bod when the pressure reaches a predetermine point.

3. In a steam su pl control valve, a casing lprovided with diametrically opposed steam inletl and outlet openings, a ollow body vertically slidable within the casing,

said hollowibody being provided with dia-.

lll'

metrically opposed inlet and outlet openings the inlet opening in the body being at all times in communication with'the inlet opening of the casing, the outlet openings being normally out of regist with each other, la. stem extendin u warxdly from the hollow body and free y s idable through the top of the casing, a handle on the upper end there of for manually moving the hollow body downwardly in the casing for bringing the outlet opening in the hollow body into communicatlon with the outlet opening in the casing, whereby the steam mag' be emitted through the outlet opening in t e casing, re-

silient means for normally maintaining the hollow body in a raised position to prevent the discharge of the steam through the outlet opening in the easing, means for automatically releasing' the steam from Within the hollow body When the pressure reaches a predetermined point, said last mentioned means comprising a valve., the bottom of the hollow body being formed With a valve seat,

a stem extending upwardly from said secr l0 ond mentioned valve through the rst mentioned stem, and'resilient means associated with the second mentioned stem for normal- WILLIAM HERBERT SLNAKER. 

